Ben glared at his mother and stormed off without saying a final word. Max went after him. "Ben!" He screamed. "Please, if you have to go...take me with you."

His brother stopped in his tracks and turned to face him. He smiled weakly, walking closer to him. "You don't need me."

Max shook his head. "That's not.....what I wanted to say..what if you change and someone or something hunts you down? He said, panting.

His brother chuckled. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself..."

Max hesitated before saying, "Promise me you won't forget about me? Please?"

Benjamin gave him a hug. "If that curse affects me like that.....I can't make any promises, but....I'll do my best to keep my memories sharp."

Max gave him a determined look. "One day, I'll find you, brother."

Benjamin clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Do me a favor and stay with her....I love you, Max. I'm proud of you. Take care of yourself, for me." He gave him one last embrace before turning around and heading for the woods, where he slowly changed into the wolf he was cursed as.

................................................

Max couldn't sleep the following nights, he just couldn't get his brother out of his mind. They've been best friends for years, how could it end just like that?

Angrily, he threw a chair into the wall, then he was alerted to the sound of something hitting metal.

Curiously, Max knelt down to see what it was........it was his brother's blade! The one that the witch cursed.

The moment he picked it up, he felt something surge through his veins. A depth of agony struck him like lightning. His grip grew tighter to the point it cut his hand...he dropped it as he began to bleed. There was something wrong with his blood though...like it was mixing with an ink-like substance. He suddenly broke into a sweat, then the room began to swirl. Whatever was on the blade made him ill. What has she done? He wondered.

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All of a sudden, he vomited before blacking out.

.................................................

When he woke up, he was in a different place. It appeared to be the house for the sick and wounded. He saw a familiar face stand over him. A golden haired village girl with a face dotted in freckles. She smiled at him.

"You, I remember you....you gave me the yarrow, didn't you?"

She nodded.

He looked at his surroundings. "How long have I been out?"

"Three days." She responded simply.

Oh.

Suddenly, he felt a searing pain in his head. He could feel himself getting hotter and hotter as he began to sweat again. What was this magic?

"Here...drink this.." the village girl handed him a cup of yellow liquid. He examined the cup, before looking up at her.

She smiles. "Don't worry, it'll help. This is supposed to break your fever."

He drank. It tasted like chamomile tea, lighter flavor in the fluid. He drank until there was nothing left but a drop.

She took the cup away from him, then slowly brought her hand to a bucket of water, grabbed a rag from it and wrung it out. She then placed the damp cloth on his head, wiping up the last bit of heat and sweat.

"Why are you doing this?"

She stopped and stared at him. "My mother was a healer, she taught me the ways of life and health through plants. She used to make tinctures and concoctions for her medicines."

"Was she - some sort of witch?"

She shook her head. "You'd be surprised by how well certain plants heal you if you choose the right ones."

"How do you choose the right ones?"

She looked at him sternly. "It's called research. Yarrow stops bleeding wounds, lavender improves better sleep, acorns, you can make breads out of....if you grind it into a flour. The more you research, the more you learn."

"I see." Max then began to feel sleepy. It grew heavier and heavier within the second. Then everything turned golden.

........................................................................

He woke up when he heard the noise. It was a loud crash.....like lightning. Then he realized a storm was here.

He HAD to get back to his mother. Max tried to get up, but his body felt too weak to stand.

What is this?

Maybe I'm weak from the fever, he cobvinced himself. His whole body was sore and his muscles ached, but his fever was broke though. He forced himself to get up anyway, and outside he went into the dark ,rainy night.

...................................................

When he went inside of his house, he hollered, hoping to hear someone.

He walked into his mother's room and she wasn't there. Where could she have gone? He finally saw her outside; when she saw him, her expression changed....like she's seen a ghost.

"MAX! Oh, my Maxwell!" She took a few steps closer to him, and put her hands on his face as if examining him. "My boy, I thought you were dead! Whatever sickness you fell under, I thought you wouldn't make it, but somehow you survived. This is a miracle!" She embraced him tightly. "Come, let's go inside!"